AS/A2 Mathematics

AS/A2 Mathematics
The course is designed to enable you to:

• Develop understanding of mathematics and its processes
• Develop skills in logical reasoning and recognise incorrect reasoning
• Develop an understanding of coherence and progression in mathematics and extend your range of skills and techniques.

Is it for me?
The course suits those who wish to learn more about maths and its applications and who appreciate the support it offers to other subjects. Assessment is exam based.
What's involved?
Core Mathematics 1
Extend your knowledge of polynomials and the use of both algebraic and graphical techniques for their resolution. You will meet the foundations of calculus through differentiation and integration.
Decision Mathematics
Learn what an algorithm is and develop skills in various sorting algorithms. Graphs and networks form the major part of this unit. The application of mathematical modelling will be covered leading to linear programming which has many applications.
Core Mathematics 2
This unit introduces sequences and series and develops the concept of limits. You will meet exponentials and logarithms which have practical importance to 'real-world' situations. Your knowledge of trigonometry will be extended, as will your skills in calculus.
Core Mathematics 3
You will look at functions and their notation and how they can be represented graphically. In trigonometry you will look at inverse graphs, solve trigonometric equations and meet some more identities.
Core Mathematics 4
Devlop your algebraic skills and use cartesian and parametric equations to represent curves. Binomial series will be investigated, as will their validity. Trigonometry will include compound angle and double angle formulae and other identities that are useful in calculus.
Statistics
Use calculators to obtain mean and standard deviation values from data sets. You will assess the appropriateness of numerical measures such as mean, median, mode, range and interquartile range. You will use probability and look at the concept of random events. You will work with the Binomial distribution and Normal distribution and their properties. You will look at samples and make predictions about populations to include confidence intervals.
Progression
Mathematics can lead to many mathematics, science and engineering related courses in Higher Education or into a wide range of careers.